Cuba Now Officially Off U.S. Terror List

The State Department took Cuba off its list of state sponsors of terror on Friday as part of the White House’s plan to normalize relations with the island country. However, the move didn’t make it any easier for those who would like to celebrate the symbolic gesture to pull out Cuban cigars; economic sanctions remain in place, and the U.S. still isn’t too pleased about Cuba’s history with human rights. Taking Cuba off the terrorism list — it’s been stuck on there since 1982 — means that the U.S. can now send the country foreign aid not prohibited by other sanctions, which cannot be removed without Congress’s help. Diplomats are still working out a plan to reopen embassies. Iran, Syria, and Sudan are the only countries left on the U.S. terrorlist.